Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has publicly backed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s push to rename West Bengal as “Bangla”, urging the Central government to treat the state’s proposal on equal footing with other name-change requests from across the country. Abdullah said that if the West Bengal legislative assembly formally submits a resolution seeking the change, the Centre should consider it without delay, citing the Union Cabinet’s approval for Kerala to become “Keralam” as a precedent. Addressing reporters in Srinagar, Abdullah underscored that the principle behind state name changes should be applied consistently. He questioned why the West Bengal government’s request had not progressed despite similar moves being cleared for other states, stressing that equal treatment would strengthen federal norms. “If she has demanded it, then the Central government should accept it,” he said, adding that the Centre should also give due consideration if the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly were to propose a future name change.
Abdullah’s intervention comes as the wider debate over state names intensifies following the Union Cabinet’s approval of Kerala’s proposal to adopt “Keralam” as its official name. The West Bengal government has argued that its own longstanding demand to adopt the name “Bangla” reflects linguistic and cultural identity, and should not be sidelined. Banerjee and her party, the Trinamool Congress, have repeatedly pressed the Centre to act on resolutions passed by the state legislature on multiple occasions.
Banerjee has framed the issue as part of a broader struggle over identity and federal respect. In a social media post, her party criticised the central government for what it described as “Bangla-birodhi” sentiment, asserting that those opposed to the change show scant respect for the state’s heritage and language. She highlighted procedural delays that have kept the proposal pending despite legislative backing and public support within West Bengal.
Political analysts note that the renaming debate taps into deeper currents of regional pride and linguistic assertion. The term “Bangla” resonates with historical and cultural connotations for many in the region, tying back to the broader Bengali cultural sphere that spans across borders. Past legislative moves in the state have included efforts to normalise the use of indigenous names, though federal approval has proved elusive.
Abdullah’s remarks reflect an emerging pattern of interstate solidarity among opposition leaders, with several voicing support for one another’s administrative and cultural initiatives. His comparison to the Kerala decision reinforces a demand for parity, which critics of the Centre’s handling argue has been inconsistent. This alignment could influence public discourse ahead of key electoral contests, where issues of identity and federalism are expected to play a role.
The Centre’s response so far has been cautious, with officials declining to link name-change decisions to political cycles or electoral calculations. Government spokespersons have reiterated that proposals are evaluated on administrative and constitutional grounds, but have not indicated a timeline for addressing West Bengal’s proposal. The absence of a clear pathway has fuelled frustrations among proponents of the change.
Debate over state name changes is not new in India’s polity, and past examples show that varied factors – including linguistic history, administrative convenience, and political consensus – influence outcomes. In some instances, central authorities have sought unified nomenclature across languages to avoid confusion, while in others local aspirations have led to official adoption of traditional names.